Ann Arbor, Michigan | April 17, 2026

The CCAT Symposium, hosted by the University of Michigan’s Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT), brings together leaders from government, industry, and academia to explore the future of connected and automated mobility. Held annually in Ann Arbor, the symposium focuses on advancing research, policy, and real-world implementation across emerging transportation technologies.

This year’s discussions centered on artificial intelligence in transportation, interoperability, data quality, safety validation, and the evolving role of public-private collaboration in accelerating innovation.

Allanté V. Whitmore, Ph.D., Director of Research & Social Impact, attended the symposium on behalf of The PLUM Catalyst. During the event, she engaged in sessions focused on AI in transportation, data systems, and implementation challenges, with an emphasis on accessibility, workforce development, and real-world application.

https://ccat.umtri.umich.edu/symposium/

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Conference Highlights

The CCAT Symposium reinforced that while innovation in automated and connected mobility is advancing, implementation remains a key challenge. Conversations emphasized the need to move beyond discussion and focus on practical progress—particularly in interoperability, data quality, and system usability.

There was a strong call for greater transparency from technology providers and more alignment between public agencies and industry to ensure new tools can be effectively deployed. At the same time, speakers noted that institutional processes can slow innovation, highlighting the need for more streamlined approaches.

Looking ahead, discussions pointed to increased focus on large-scale corridor projects and the broader autonomy economy, along with opportunities for federal leadership to help accelerate progress. Conversations around safety also emphasized the importance of meaningful accountability, rather than surface-level validation approaches.

Research sessions highlighted the importance of human-centered design, including emerging work on natural language interfaces and new ways to measure transportation uncertainty—both reinforcing the need to better reflect real user experiences in system design.

Overall, the symposium underscored the importance of connecting technical innovation with accessibility, workforce development, and implementation strategy—core to PLUM’s work.